‘Why? Because of your promise to Seb?’ she retorted, fighting back once more.
His brow furrowed and he shook his head in denial. Guilt niggled at her. She was deliberately provoking him. It’s his fault Seb isn’t here, she reminded herself sharply.
‘Not completely.’ He stepped closer, so close she could just reach up and kiss him if she wanted to. Just as she’d done last night.
Mesmerised by his nearness, the heady scent of his aftershave doing strange things to her senses, she remained exactly where she was. Their eyes locked and she was sure he was thinking the same thing, feeling the same hot sizzle arcing between them.
Slowly, maintaining eye contact, she raised her chin up and saw his eyes darken to the blackness of a starless sky. She paused, an unspoken question emanating from her. His answer was to claim her lips with his.
CHAPTER FIVE
CHARLIE CLOSED HER eyes as every limb in her body weakened beneath the power of his hungry kiss. Just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to stand any longer his arms wrapped around her, pulling her so tight against him that she was in no doubt he wanted her.
What was she doing? Kissing this man—and, worse again, wanting so much more?
Although she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help herself and, just as she had done the previous night, she wound her arms about his neck, sliding her fingers into the curls he had tried to disguise.
Adrenaline from the drive still pumped around her, fuelling this new heady passion to heights she’d never before experienced. Every part of her was on fire, burning with desire for the man she supposedly hated above all others.
‘This is...’ she began as his lips left hers, scorching a trail down her throat until she couldn’t utter another word.
‘Amazing, no?’ His husky voice sent a thrill of shivers through her.
No, not amazing. It’s wrong. It shouldn’t be happening.
Inside her head the words formed, but that was where they stayed as he claimed her lips once more, so deeply and passionately she gasped in pleasure against him. She couldn’t think any more. The only thing that mattered was satisfying the hot need which blazed inside her.
‘And this...’ He almost groaned the words out as he lowered his head to kiss down her throat. She arched her back, leaning against the strength of his arm, knowing exactly what he wanted.
A sigh of total contentment slipped from her and she let her head drop back as his kisses moved down her throat until he reached the soft swell of her breasts, visible at the opening of her blouse.
Then passion exploded as he kissed her nipple, dampening the silk of her blouse. Her bra offered little defence against the persuasion of his seduction and she buried her fingers into the thickness of his hair, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she surrendered to the pleasure of his mastery.
‘This is good too, no?’ His accent became heavier with each word as desire engulfed them, wrapping them up together. He nipped at the hard peak of her nipple, sending a spark of urgent need straight to the very core of her.
‘It’s so good, but so wrong.’ Her voice was a throaty whisper as she pushed her fingers deeper into the curls, pressing him against her, even though she knew it was reckless. Each breath she took intensified the sensation until she couldn’t do anything but close her eyes to the pure pleasure of the moment. Wrong or right, she gave herself up to it.
‘Oh, cara, it’s wrong, so, so wrong, but so right.’ He moved his attention to her other breast and she almost sank to the grass beneath her feet as his tongue worked its magic, her breathing ragged and fast.
‘We shouldn’t.’ Barely a whisper now, her voice sounded hoarse as each breath rushed from her.
It was so good she thought she could hear horns—car horns blasting around them, their fast rhythm matching the pulse of desire inside her. The sound became louder and suddenly he straightened, pulling her upright with a jolt.
‘Maledizione. I should have known we’d be seen.’
The sound of horns was very clear now and she realised it wasn’t just horns, but emergency sirens. She jumped back from him as if scalded by his very touch, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible while she fought to regain control over her body, extinguish the heady need he’d ignited. Thankfully, he seemed to want the same and walked abruptly away.
What had she been thinking? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. That was the problem. She hadn’t been thinking at all. She’d allowed her seesawing emotions to get the better of her and when she next spoke to her father she’d find out just what he and Alessandro had discussed. Had her father tried to continue the matchmaking Seb had started?